Shelter Magazines: Interior Design

Interior Design magazine is the monthly resource for the interior design professional marketplace. Each issue offers up-to-date news on the latest products and trends in interior design and in-depth profiles of influential projects and designers. It’s published by Reed Business Information

Frequency:
- Published monthly. In addition there are three bonus issues: a Spring Market issue; an Annual Buyers Guide issue, also published in the Spring; and a Fall market issue in the October.

Subscription Rate:
$64.95/year (US)

Website:
www.interiordesign.net

The site is well maintained, the Newswire is updated every business day. Registered users have access to all previously published articles via their Archives
(no pictures though, which is pretty essential for a design magazine!) There are other sections including an events calendar, a job listing area and the GreenZone, which is devoted to environmentally conscious design.

The Magazine:

I’ve long been a fan of reading trades, in part because my love of magazines borders on the indiscriminate, but mostly because I love to get an insider perspective on any kind of industry. I’m always fascinated by the sub-culture – the specific lingo, the issues that concern an industry, the leaders, instigators and legends. Design related magazines have always been especially interesting because, even with an industry focus, the subject matter is something I’m very keen on.

Interior Design is probably my favorite trade, period. The photography is usually great, the design of the magazine is subdued, allowing the products, interiors and people that they're featuring to take center stage. A lot of the advertising is of interest as well.
Their logotype is very basic and perhaps a bit boring, but I don't mind that - its straightforwardness and simplicity lends it an air of gravitas.

The writing itself can drive me batty on occasion, especially when it gets into this breathless celebrity obsessed mode that I've come to expect from say, InStyle or the House & Home section of the NYT. It seems incongruous considering its aforementioned understatedness in other aspects of the publication.

As I said in the comments thread of my initial post, I look to most shelter mags for ideas and inspiration, not to create a shopping list. One of my favorite ongoing features in Interior Design is Pinups. Pinups show case fabric trends: color, texture, new materials and interesting patterns are all fodder for this monthly feature. The visual impact is always terrific and I often get an idea about how I could achieve something similar on my own, more affordably.

Another thing I like about the magazine is that it doesn't just focus on residential - they feature retail spaces, offices and restaurants too.
It's fascinating to see which requirements inform design decisions beyond the residential realm.

My next Shelter item will be on Wednesday. Tomorrow I'll go back to the Living with Art theme and offer ideas about how to get started with collecting art for your ownself.

Till then, I'd love to hear your thoughts about Interior Design specifically, and any other shelter trade publications that you love (or hate.)